April 21, 2005
N16.5 W62.1 Pelicans at Little Bay, Montserrat
We anchored at the north end of the island in Little Bay. There was nobody there when we arrived, but in due course, 4 or 5 other boats joined us. We had been warned that the swells come around the corner of the island to make it a bit uncomfortable, but we also knew we would not make it in daylight to Nevis. We put the engine on the dinghy to go in to clear customs – this was a challenge in the rolls. Nevertheless, we made it in, cleared customs, and returned to the boat before the dinghy got completely thrashed on the government dock. The pelicans were everywhere (Little Bay is a fishing village), and Chis snapped a photo of this one snoozing on the bow of the fishing boat moored next to us.
The island was named by Columbus after the well-known abbey in Spain. He sighted the island on his second voyage in 1493. On St Patrick’s Day in 1768, the sugar plantation slaves rebelled, and all were executed. Today, the rebels are celebrated as freedom fighters.
Posted by dave at 03:16 PM | Comments (0)
Soufriere Volcano, Montserrat
There is a 2 mile maritime exclusion zone around more than half of the island of Montserrat, as the volcano at the south end of the island is still active. The remains of the ruined capital, Plymouth, are staggering to see – Chis says it is like seeing the ruins of the World Trade Centre in New York. In 1995, the population of the island was around 11,000. Nearly two-thirds of the inhabitants left when the volcano first erupted in 1995.
Posted by dave at 03:15 PM | Comments (0)